Columbia Zone fishing report, May 10

Spring Chinook and shad fishing is open Friday, May 9 – Saturday, May 10 from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to Rooster Rock, plus the banks only from Rooster Rock to Bonneville Dam.

White sturgeon retention is closed from Buoy 10 upstream to The Dalles Dam, but remains an option for catch and release angling. Anglers are reminded that spawning sanctuaries take effect May 1 (see special regulations for details).

Sturgeon retention is open in The Dalles and John Day pools until the respective guidelines are met.

Sturgeon retention is open during February 1-July 31 from McNary Dam upstream to the Oregon/Washington border.

Effective Friday June 13 – Saturday June 14 and Friday June 20 – Saturday June 21, the Bonneville Pool will be open to the retention of white sturgeon.

Spring Chinook angling is open during March 16 – May 9, from Tower Island powerlines upstream to the Oregon/Washington border above McNary Dam, plus the banks between Bonneville and Tower Island powerlines.

Walleye fishing was excellent in The Dalles Pool last week.

Current Columbia River regulations for salmon, steelhead, shad and sturgeon can be found at the Sport Fishing Regulation Update page.

Salmon, Steelhead and Shad

Salmonid angling was fair to excellent last week in The Dalles and John Day pools. In The Dalles Pool, bank anglers averaged 0.33 spring Chinook caught per bank rod, while the boat anglers averaged 1.2 spring Chinook caught per boat. In the John Day Pool, bank anglers averaged 0.19 spring Chinook caught per bank rod, while boat anglers averaged 0.48 spring Chinook caught per boat. As of Sunday May 4, 109,573 spring Chinook have passed over Bonneville Dam.

Weekly checking showed one sublegal sturgeon released for five bank anglers.

John Day Pool:

Weekly checking showed two legal white sturgeon kept, plus two oversize and five sublegal sturgeon released for six bank anglers; and five legal white sturgeon kept, plus three legal, two oversize and five sublegal sturgeon released for nine boats (19 anglers).

Sturgeon creel sampling summaries and catch estimates for Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day pools can be found at the following link: